Tool box



M. MEYERSON TOOL BOX Filed Dc. 1, '1920 2 Sheets-Sheet May 25,1926.

M. MEYERSON TOOL BOX' Filed Dec. 1. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 avwmatoz %M:@51 fl btomum v Patented May 25, 1926.

MAX MEYERSON, or new YORK, iv. Y.

'roon BOX.

' Application filed December 1, 1920'. Serial No.;427,602.

This invention relates to a tool box, the same being in the nature of animprovement over the structure Shown and described in my pendingapplication, Serial No. 216,663,

6 filed February 11, 1918.

An object of the present improvement is to provide a tool box havingpractically the same advantages as in the box of said pendingapplication, but being of much simpler 10 and cheaper construction.

A further and more detailed object is to provide a box having a hingedcover and constructed so that when the cover is open a portion thereofwill stand to complete a supporting guide, or runway, continuing from aguide or runway formed in the body of the box, so that a tray which isincluded within the box may. be readily slid along said runwaywhendesired. g

A further object is to provide a continuous hinge by which the cover isconnected with'the body portion ofthe box,-said hinge being disposed soas to form a part of, and

strengthen, said runway.

A further object is to provide connections between the tray and thecover whereby the tray will be moved back and forth by move-' ment ofthe cover.

Other objects and aims of the invention, .more or less specific thanthose referred to above, will be in part obvious, and in part pointedout in the course of the following description of the elements,combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles,constituting the invention, and

the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of thisspecification, I and in which I have shown'merely a preferred form ofembodiment of the invention:

Figure l is an end elevational view of a box constructed in accordancewith this invention, the upper part of the box being 'shown'in verticalsection, and the cover being shown closed.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the position of parts as they appearwhen the cover is open and the tray slid back along the runway.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the o ture.

box shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the front wall being broken away andparts being shown in section for disclosing details of construction.

v Figure 41s a fragmentary top plan view showingthe joint between thecover and body portion of the box.

Figure 5 isa fragmentary view illustrating amodified manner of slidablyguiding the tray, and T Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view for illustratinga modification in which the tray is connected with the cover to he slidback and forth by movementof the cover.

Referring to the drawings for describing in detail thestructure which isillustrated therein, the reference character L indicates the main bodyof the box. This may be made up. of any suitable material, butpreferably consists of a single sheet of fibre, or

like material, bent to form a back wall 1, a

bottom wall 2,'and a front wall 3. Separate pieces of material areconnected to form the end walls 4, said end walls having flanges,- as 5,formed thereon being bent inwardly and being riveted to the end portionsof the back, bottom and front walls.

Suitable metallic corner braces Gare provided for receiving wear and tocooperate with the flanges for strengthening the struc- A very stiff,strong and substantial body is thus provided.

The cover, as G, is preferably also formed from a' single sheet ofmaterial bent to form a top wall 7 and backand front walls 8 and r 9.Endpieces 10 are held in positionby flanges, or the like, 11 andcomplete. the

cover.

The cover is hinged to the rearvwall 1 of the body by a hinge 1'2, andsuitable latches, or other fastening devices, 13 are providedup'on'thefront walls 3 and 9 cooperative to latch the cover closed.

Metallic corner braces let may be provided for strengthening the cover,if desired.

A handle 15, of suitable design, is provided upon the top wall 7 bywhichE to carry the box.

Vithin the box is arranged a tray, or the like, indicated by thereference character H.

This trayisof such size as to fit easily within the upper portion of thebody L and 1s supported at its opposite ends upon a pair of brackets 16.The brackets 16 are rigidly connected with the end walls 4 and the uppersurfaces thereof are positioned to stand in a horizontal plane with theupper surface of the hinge 12.

Each of the brackets 16 is provided with a slot 17 longitudinallythereof and within these slots move studs, or rivets, 18 which are fixedto. and do )end from. the tra H said studs, or rivets, serving to holdthe tray against displacement from the brackets while at the same timepermitting the tray to move longitudinally along the brackets.

Slotted links, as 1%), are provided for supporting the cover in openposition, said links being pivotally connected, as at 20, by their upperends with the cover and being slidably connected by their lower portionswith stationary studs 21 carried by the body. The relation of the studs21 with the lower end walls of the slots 22 of the links is such as tolimit opening movement of the cover at a point where the rear wall 8 ofthe cover stands in a horizontal plane substantially in continuation ofthe brackets 16 so that thus said back wall and said brackets constitutea continuous runway along which the tray may be slid at will Wheneverthe cover is open.

The hinge 12 is of the continuous type and extends from end to end ofthe box. Its position in the plane of the brackets so that it alsocomprises a part of" the runway is of considerable importance since itprovides a metallic surface, and in fact a continuous metallic corner,directly at the point where the tray, in moving backwardly, leaves thebody of the box and passes into the cover. This metallic corner is,therefore, always stiff, straight and strong, and amply capable ofwithstanding rough usage. The pivot portion of the hinge provides arounded corner, as indicated at 23, directly at the point which is firstengaged by the tray when the tray is being moved backwardly. Thisrounded corner materially facilitates the backward movement of the trayespecially in instances where, due to fault in assembly, the hinge maybe raised a trifle above the horizontal plane of the brackets 16.

The hinge employed is preferably formed of sheet metal, each half beingof U-shape in cross section, and being formed to receive a pivot rod 24between them, as indicated. The two legs of the U, in each instance, aremade to straddle adjacent portions of the walls 1 and 8, and areconnected to said walls by rivets 25 extending thru both legs and thruthe interposed portions of the. walls. It is to be noted that by thismeans the two legs of the U straddling the wall 1 not only greatlyreinforce the upperedge of said wall but also serve as a means forstrengthening the connection with the flanges 5 at the ends of saidwall 1. Also, that the two legs straddling the wall 8 not only greatlyreinforce said wall 8, but also provide a broad metallic wearingsurface, as indicated at 26, as a part of the run vay over which thetray is slidable.

The front wall 3 and end walls 1: of the body L are preferably extendedupwardly above the topsurfaces of the brackets 16. as at 27, and aredisposed to lap inside of the cover when the cover is closed, thuscompleting an appropriately tight joint.

The brackets 16 are of angle shape in cross section, and are connectedto the end walls 1 by means of rivets, or the like, as 23. The legs ofthese brackets lapping against the walls t provide a double thickness,as indicated at 29, thru which the stationary studs 21 extend, saidstuds being thereby more rigidly and firmly supported. Suitable slots 30are provided thru which the links 19 may freely operate.

Altho the tray H may be of simple panlike shape, yet obviously it maytake any other form as desired, for instance, it may be provided withpartitioned coi'npartments or with separate drawers, or the like, as 31.It may be constructed in any desired manner, but preferably is providedwith sheet metal angles, as 32, at its opposite ends for reinforcingpurposes and for carrying the studs 18, as well as for providing adesirable surface for sliding along the runway. Similar angles, as 33,may be provided intermediate the length of the tray so as to cooperatewith the end angles for providing suitable guideways for the drawers.

It is to be noted that where angles, as 33, are employed, the lowerhorizontal legs, as 3 1, of said angles are made to serve also as wearplates for sliding over the hinge and surface portion 26 of the runway.The importance of the continuous hinge, for providing a proper surfaceto be engaged by, and to support, the angles 33 is apparent.

he slots 11' formed in the brackets 16 have their end walls, as 35,disposed in position such that they will serve to limit for wardmovement of the tray at a point so that the tray cannot possibly bemoved far enough forwardly to interfere with the free swinging movementof the cover.

In Fig. 5 a modification is illustrated comprising the use of a slidemember 36 in lieu of the studs 18, said member 36 being fixed rigidlywith the tray, as by means of one or more rivets 37, and being bent toextend about the edge portion of the brackets 16. The member 36 would,of course, be such as to stand entirely within the body of the box whenthe tray is slid backwardly into the cover.

In Fig. 6 is diagrammatically illustrated a structure which is in allrespects the same as that heretofore described except that the link 38,corresponding to link 19 has its lower end pivotally connected, as at39, directly with the tray H instead of being slidably connected withthe body of the box.

By this arrangement it is apparent that the opening and closing movementof the cover, operating thru the link 38, will cause the tray H to beslid back and forth along the brackets 16.

Since the tray is connected with'the brackets by means of the studs orrivets 18 so that the forward edge of the tray cannot be lifted awayfrom said brackets it will be apparent that the links 38, the tray, andsaid studs, provide a line of connections between the cover and the bodyfor limiting the opening movement of the cover, it being pointed outparticularly in this connection that the backward movement of the trayinto the cover may be limited either by engagement with the top wall ofthe cover, or by engagement'of the studs 18 with the rear ends of theslots 17. I

As many changes could be made in this construction without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, itis intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shownin the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative onlyand not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is i 1. A tool box comprising a body portionand a pivotally mounted cover therefor, a

tray arranged within said box, supporting means for said tray alongwhich the tray is adapted to slide partly into said cover when the coveris open, and pivot forming means connecting the cover with the body,said pivot forming means being of metal and being disposed so that itconstitutes a metallic wear surface along which the tray is adapted vtoslide.

' 2. A toolbox comprising a body portion and a pivotally mounted covertherefor, a tray arranged within said box, supporting means for saidtray along which the tray, is adapted to slide partly into said coverwhen the coveris open, and pivot forming means connecting the cover withthe body, said pivot forming means being of metal and be- "ing disposedso that it constitutes a metallic wear surface along which the tray isadapted to slide, and said pivot forming means also comprising areinforcing strip extending from one end portion of the box to the otherbeing fixed to the cover to thereby reinforce the cover to support thetray.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature. MAX MEYERSON.

